Farmers prepare for hot temps in the region

PAGE, N.D. (KVRR) – The summer heat is expected to rise this week in the region, with temperatures getting up to the high 90’s. Some farmers are concerned what this heat can do to their crops.

“If it’s in the 80’s, it’s not bad. But when you get into the 90s it starts to hurt the crops,” said Dale Bjerke, a farmer in Page, North Dakota. “[I’VE GOT] Soybeans, wheat, both spring wheat and winter wheat. We also have corn and sunflowers.”

Bjerke is a farmer out in Page, and farmers like him are hoping there is some humidity in the air to keep the crops from drying out.

Bjerke says this comes at a crucial time for some of his crops which are corn and wheat.

“The heat’s going to be hard on the corn and wheat because the corn is tasseling now,” said Bjerke. “And it will be in the pollination stage. And the wheat is now filling the kernels and you get too much heat, especially if it’s dry it will kill the pollen on the corn before it has a chance to pollinate.”

Unfortunately, there isn’t much a farmer can do to stop their crops from drying out.

“Hot and humid is actually better for the crops than hot and dry. It doesn’t suck the moisture out of the plants.” said Bjerke.